Shloka 15

Adhyāya 59: On Giving to the Asker and Supporting the Non-asking (याचक-अयाचक-दाने धर्मः)

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच कुशिकस्तु मुनेर्वाक्यं च्यवनस्य महात्मन:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca kuśikastu munervākyaṃ cyavanasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Kuśika jedoch nahm die Worte des Weisen Cyavana, jenes großherzigen Asketen, an und handelte danach.

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• कुशिकः: Kushika
• कुशिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• मुनेः: of the sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वाक्यम्: word/speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च्यवनस्य: of Chyavana
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kuśika
• Cyavana
• muni (sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical ideal that a ruler or householder should heed the guidance of a realized sage; honoring wise instruction is presented as a practical expression of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues an instructive account and notes that Kuśika responds to Cyavana’s words—setting up the ensuing episode where Kuśika’s actions will be shaped by the sage’s counsel.